Coffee Talk: Chiwetel Ejiofor to Play Fela Kuti

We all gushed when we learned that British-Nigerian actor Chiwetel Ejiofor would be playing Fela Kuti in an upcoming biopic from Focus Features. And we grimaced when we learned that in New York, minorities are nine times as likely as Whites to get stopped by the police, and that in Arizona it's okay to ban ethnic studies classes. Plus, Michael Jackson's kids showed up on YouTube.

Essence.com

May, 13, 2010

The heads at Focus Features announced that they've cast British-Nigerian heartthrob Chiwetel Ejiofor to play Fela Kuti in an upcoming biopic on the King of Afrobeat. Even more reason to watch. [AOLBV]

A new report reveals that in New York City in 2009, Blacks and Latinos were nine times as likely as Whites to be stopped by the police. Once stopped and frisked, however, they were no more likely to have been arrested. [NYT]

Videos of Michael Jackson's kids Paris and Blanket goofing around are getting major views on YouTube. [CNN]

Arizona has been making us say "WTF?" a lot lately. Now Governor Jan Brewer approved a measure that bans ethnic studies classes in elementary and secondary schools. What is going on, Arizona? [CNN]

Beyonc and Tina Knowles' House of Deron and Deron brands are venturing into home decor. [HTT]

Gospel artist Juanita Bynum just signed a new record deal with head of Music World Entertainment and Beyonc's dad, Mathew Knowles. [BET]

Oprah and Alan Ball are joining forces to produce a new HBO film based on the non-fiction bestseller, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks." Lacks was an African-American cancer patient whose cells were harvested to create an immortal cell line for medical research. [AP]

Musical great Bootsy Collins is set to launch TheFunkUniversity.com, an online bass guitar school where users can learn the legend's signature fancy fingerwork. [Examiner]

You might soon be playing Kanye West to put your baby to sleep. Rockabye Baby, a company that turns rocker hits into lullabies, is set to release their first ever hip-hop collection featuring Mr. West's greatest hits. The album drops into your nursery on May 18. [Momlogic]